Art of knitting and in knitting machines



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ART OF KNITTING AND IN KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 5, 1928 6Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES 1 N V EN TOR:

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ART OF KNITTING AND IN KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 3, 1928 6Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG: XIZE FICv: XW

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Y howam? Wmifizemg Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEWILHELM BOCK AN]? HOWARD W. MATTIIEWS, 0F LANSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, .AS-

' SIGNORS TO DEXDALE HOSIERY MILLS, OF LANSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A. COR-PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA ART or KNITTING AND IN KNITTIN tacnmnsApplication filed January 3, 1928. Serial No. 244,089.

This invention is concerned with production of knit fabrics, moreparticularly on fiat knitting machines; and also with improvements insuch machines.

Amongst the objects of our invention are to enable more rapid productionof knitted fabric than possible heretofore on flat knitting machines asordinarily constructed; to effect accurate distribution or apportionmentof pre-measured yarn between the needles of the machine withpredetermination of absolute uniformity in the fabric loops; and toenable changes or graduation in the size of the fabric loops insuccessive courses of the knitting with assurance against variation asbetween the individual loops constituting each of such courses.

In carrying out our improved method, we initially measure out a definitelength of yarn for each course of the knitting incidentally to feeding,and subsequently effect its apportionment between the needles as thefabric loops are drawn. For the first of these two steps we rely uponsinkers to depress the yarn at intervalsbetweemgroups of the knittingneedles; while the second step is accomplished through cooperation ofknock-overs individually associated with the needles as the latterrecede to form the fabric loops. With this arrangement, it is possibleto dispense with the dividers and actuating mechanism customarilyemployed between sinkers for yarn apportionment in flat knittingmachines to the end that the operation of loop formation is considerablyspeeded through saving of the time interval ordinarily required forfunctioning of the parts referred to. High speed operation of flatknitting machines is further facilitated in accord- I ance with ourinvention through employment of rotary means throughout in lieu ofreciprocating parts to actuate the various instrumentalities whichcooperate in the knitting cycle.

Provision is also made for compensative bodily shifting of the needlesand the knockovers relative to the sinkers in determining initialmeasuring of more or less yarn for each course of the knitting andsubsequent uniform drawing of proportionately larger or smaller fabricloops by the needles.

How the foregoing and other advantages may be readily realized inpractice will be manifest from the detailed description which follows ofthe typical embodiment of this invention shown in the drawings, whereofFig. I is a part cross sectional elevation of our improved knittingmachine.

.Fig. II is a part plan view of the machine in accordance with thearrows II--II in Fig. I on a somewhat larger scale.

Fig. III is a part front view of the machine with some portions brokenaway and others in section.

Figs. IV and V are detail sectional views taken as indicatedrespectively by the arrows IV-IV and V-V in Figs. II and III.

Fig. VI is a detail plan section taken as indicated by the arrows VI-VIin Fig. V.

Fig. VII is a detail sectional view in actIztInidance with the arrowsVIIVII in Fig.

Figs. VIII to XIV inclusive are fragmentary views showing successivesteps in the formation'of fabric loops in accordance with our invention.

Fig. XV is a diagrammatic illustration viewed in the direction of thearrows XVXV in-Fig. IX showing how the yarn is measured by the sinkers.

Fig-XVI is an illustration similar to Fig. XV showing the measured yarnlying on the tops of the kock-over bits ready to be apportioned betweenthe needles.

Figs. XVII and XVIII are views looking as indicated respectively by thearrows XVII-XVII and XVIIIXVIII in Figs.

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flanged antifriction rollers in a horizontal supporting guide bar 24. Atopposite sides of its lower end the tongue 23 carries projections 25, 26adapted to cooperate with oposing rotary cams 27, 28 respectively duringordinary knitting and during the fashioning phases of the knitting. Asshown in Fig. III, the cams 27, 28 are set side by side upon a commonlongitudinally extending shaft 29 journalled both for rotation and axialsliding in suitable bearings of the transverse frames 30, 30 of themachine. The means for shifting the shaft 29 for selective operation ofthe cams 27, 28 may be of the type shown and described in a co ndingapplication filed September 12.1927, rial No. 218,971. From Fig. I itwill be observed that the roller groove 27a of the cam 27 has inwarddeviations at diametrically opposite points; while Fig. VII shows thatthe cam 28 has but one. Thus for each rotation of the shaft 29 duringordinary knitting with the cam 27 in action, the needle head 21 isreciprocated twice with production of two fabric courses, whereas withthe cam 38 in action during fashioning, but one course is produced. Ineffect this corresponds to speed reduction and affords ample time forfunctioning of the loop transfer mechanism which. may be of the kinddis- 3 closed in the application supra. At one end,

the needle guide bar 24 has a pivotal connec tion 31 with an arm 32secured to a rock shaft 83 extending between the transverse frames 30.-The opposite end of the bar 24 is engaged, with capacity for horizontalsliding, in a transverse notch of a frontal rail 35 of the machine. Suchsliding movement is imparted to the needle guide bar 24 for the pur poseof measuring more or less yarn during feeding as later on fullyexplained, by means of a rotary cam 36 that is mounted on a shaft 37extending parallel with the cam shaft 29 in a somewhat lower plane, saidshaft 37 being also suitably journalled in the machine frames 30. Thecam 36 has graduated rises 38 which are efiective upon a roller 39carried at the lower end of an arm 40 afiixed to the rock shaft 33. Anysuitable means may be employed to intermittently rotate the cam 38, forexample, a ratchet wheel 41 and a pawl 42 controlled by the patternmechanism such as shown in a copending ap lication Ser. No.

218,971 filed by Wilhelm Bock one of the present applicants, on Sept.12. 1927 Cooperating with the needles N of the heads 22 are sinkers Swhich are mounted for horizontal sliding movement in transverse groovesof a stationary support 43 extending between the machine frames 30 atthe top. From Figs. II and III it will be observed that the sinkers Sare distributed so as to depress the yarn at intervals along the needlebanks 22 between groups, in the present instance of two needles each.The sinkers S associated with each needle bank 22 are moved toward theneedles by means including a revolving spiral cam 45 withoppositelypitched Wings 46, 47'which are effective upon the jacks Jindividually associated with said sinkers. As shown, the jacks J aremounted for independent movement on a common fixed fulcrum rod 48 andengage the rears of the sinkers in the manner clearly shown in Fig. I.With this arrangement the sinkers S are progressively advanced beginningfirst from one end of the series, and then from the other by theoppositely pitched wings 46, 47 of the spiral cam 45 s nchronously, withtravel of the yarn feeds whereof one is shown at F, back and forthacross the needles, the throw imparted to the sinkers bein howeverfixed, or in other words, between efinite limits. There may, ofcourse,'be several of the feeds F each being secured to a slide 49arranged to be reciprocated under guidance of a longitudinal rod 50 byany appropriate mechanism (not shown) suitable to the purpose. Concertedreturn or retractive movement of the sinkers S is brought about by meansof a projecting rotor vane 51 on a shaft 52 engaging the depending buttsof said sinkers incidentally to rotation in the direction of the arrowin Figs. I and IV. The shafts '52, 53 of the rotor 51 and the spiral cam45 have journal support'in the transverse frames 30 of the machine, andare driven from the shaft 29 aforementioned through the medium of atransmission including intermeshing gears conventionally represented bydot and dash lines at 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58 in Fig. I.

During formation of the fabric loops, the beards of the needles N areclosed through contact with the rounded frontal edges of presser bars60, one such prcsser bar being provided for each needle bank 22, seeFigs. II, III and VI. As shown in Figs. I and IV, each presser bar ismade in two sections 60a, 60?) meeting in an inclined plane, the uppersection 60a being grooved transversely for lodgment of knock-over bits Bhaving inclined shanks, and the lower section 60?) acting as a keeper tohold said bits in assembly. It is to be particularly noted that there isa knock-over bit B for each needle N in the machine. In addition to theusual nibs b affording the horizontal loop-rolling ledges, theknock-over bits B have auxiliary upper nibs b with notches interveningfor engaging the knit fabric or web W as in Fig. VIII, for example, andholding it against rising with the needles N when the latter areelevated to yarn feeding position. At the ends, the lower sections 6012of the presser bars360 are extended beyond the upper sections 60a, andmachined to substantially square cross section (Fig. V) for guidance tohorizontal movement in jaws at the outer ends of supporting arms 61, 62.As shown in Fig. III, there are two of the arms 61 respectively for theremote ends of each-pair of presser bars II it will be noted that thearms 61, 62 reach forward over the tops of the spiral cam 45 and therotor shaft 52 from a rock shaft 63 at the rear of the machine. Adepending arm 64 secured to the rock shaft 63 carries a roller 65 at itsfree end for cooperation with a second series of graduatedcircumferential rises 66 on the rotary cam 36 (Fig. I) lying in a planeto the rear of the rises 38 and distinguished in said figure by surfaceshading. By the arrangement just described, slight vertical movement isimparted to the presser bars 60 for elevation and depression of theknock-over bits B concurrently with bodily inward and outward shiftingof the needle bar 21 for the purpose of varying the s ze of the fabricloops.

In performing the needle beard closing function, the presser bars 60 arereciprocated relative to the needles under guidance of the jaws in thesupporting arms, by rotary side groove cams 6768 which are mounted onthe shaft 51 and engage rollers 69 on arms 7 0 projecting rearward fromthe ends of. the lower sections 60?) of said presser bars. As shown inFigs. II and III, the cams 67 are disposed adjacent the remote ends ofeach pair of the presser bars; while the cam 68 is double faced so as toserve contiguous ends of the presser bars, see also Fig. VI.

The operation of our invention is as follows: With the needles Ndwelling temporarily in the elevated or feeding position of Fig. I, theyarn Y is laid across them by the feed F as shown in Fig. VIII, abovethe lower nibs of the sinkers S which are concurrently advancedsuccessively in synchronism with the travel of the feed under thedictates of the spiral cam 45 in the manner already understood, the yarnbeing thereby depressed in'the intervals between pairs of the needles asshown in Figs. IX and XV. The needles N are thereupon lowered bodily bythe cam 27, and the sinkers S retracted at the same time in proper phaserelation by the rotor vane 51. During this stage in the cycle, thepresser bars 60 dwell in the forward position to close the beards'of theneedles as in Fig. X and enable passage of the latter through the loopsof the previously formed courseof the knitted web W. As the needlescontinue to descend, they carry down the length of yarn previouslymeasured as a consequence of indentation by the sinkers S, to the levelof the upper nibs b' of the knock over bits B. This condition isdepicted in the diagrammatic plan view of Fig. XVI. Thereupon, withstill further descent of the needles N. the yarn is drawn over the uppernibs of the knock-overs B, as shown in Figs. XI, XVIII, and, as aconsequence, apportioned evenly between them, the free indentationspreviously formed by the sinkers yielding readily to partial absorptionfor the purpose explained. During the last described step, the presserbars 60 are retracted sufficiently by the rotary cams 67, 68,so that theupper nibs of the nockover bits B are cleared and the needles permittedto draw the uniformly distributed bights of the yarn through the loopsof the preceding course of the knitted web W resting on the lower ledgesof said knock over hits as shown in Fig. XII. In this connection it isobvious that therotary cams 67 68 may be so designed as to effectretraction of the knock-over bits B in time to enable apportionment ofthe yarn to be effected as the new fabric loops are drawn over the lowerledges b of said knock-overs. Incident to formation of the newfabricloops, the neodles N are lowered by the cam 27 in concert withadvancement of the knock-over bits B by the cams 67 68 with consequentrollin or knocking of the old fabric loops linke with the new ones, overthe tops of the needles. As the action proceeds, the upper nibs I) ofthe knock-over bits take a position over the newly formed fabric loopsas shown in Fig. XIII to restrain the web against the influence of theneedles N incidentally to their further elevation by the cam 27 Uponcompletion of the loop forming cycle, the several knittinginstrumentalities assume the posi-. tion of Fig. XIV which, it will benoted, is the same as in Fig. VIII, in readiness for initiation of asucceeding fabric course through feeding of the yarn Y.

When variation in the size of the fabric loops is desired, the pawl 42(Fig; I) is permitted to pick the ratchet wheel 41 in accordance withthe effect desired. As the peripheral' rises 38, 66 of the cam 36 actconcurrently on the rollers 39, 65 at the ends of arms 40. 64. it willbe apparent that. the

needles N will be moved inward toward the sinkers S through attendanthorizontal shifting of the carrier bar 24, and the presser bars 60elevated through rocking movement imparted to the curved arms 61, 62. InFig. XIX we have shown the normal relation of the needles N, the sinkersS and the knock- 51, it will be seen that by virtue of shifting I of theneedles to the dotted position of Fig. XIX more yarn will be depressedbetween them with measurement of a greater length for the series. Theproportioning of the various leverages involved in determining loopvariations is such that the movement imparted to the knock overs B isdefinitely related to that of the needles so that the greater (orshorter) length of premeasured yarn is afterwards uniformly apportionedbetween the needles by draft over the upper nibs of said knock-overs .B.This contention will be readily understood from Fig. XX (correspondingto Fig. XI) wherein, as in Fig. XIX, the normal relation of the needlesN and the knock over bits B is shown in full lines, and their positionfor loop variation in dotted lines. By such compensative cooperation asbetween the needles and the knockover bits relative to the sinkers andto each other, uniformity in the loops in any one course of the fabricis absolutely assured. The circumferential rises of the cam 36 (Fig. I)have been exaggerated considerably to serve the V urpose ofillustration, and, in practice, may he graduated as shown, or otherwisevaried to suit any specific requirements.

The employment of continuously rotating parts to effect actuation of theknitting instrumentalities as herein described, is conducive towardoperation of the machine at very high speeds with attendant increase inproduction. This consideration is further enhanced in view of thestructural simplicity of our machine had by dispensing entirely withdividers and relegating the function ordinarily performed by them to theknockovers, as well as by reliance upon a common means to actuate boththe needle beard presser bars and the knock-overs.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a flat knitting machine, a bank of needles, a guide confining theneedle bank to reciprocatory movement, cooperating sinkers having afixed throw, a stationary su port for the sinkers, a series ofknock-over hits over which the fabric loops are drawn, a pivoted supportsustaining the knock-over bits with capacity for sliding movement towardand away from the needles, and an intermittently actuated rotary camoperative to shift the needle bank guide positionally relative to thesinkers for measurement by the latter of more or less yarn for eachcourse of the knitting and to concurrently move the knock-over supportcompensatively for relative positioning of the knock-over bits to insureuniform drawing of correspondingly larger or smaller fabric loops.

2. In a flat knitting machine, a bank of needles, co-operating sinkershaving a fixed throw, co-operating knock-over hits over which the fabric100 s are drawn, and an intermittently actuate rotary cam with graduated rises instrumental in positionally shifting the needle bankrelative to the sinkers in determining measurement by the latter 'ofmore or less yarn for each course of the knit-.

ting, said cam'also having other rises instrumental in concurrentlyshifting the knockthe latter of more or less yarn for each course of theknitting, said cam also havin other rises instrumental in concurrently sifting the knock-over bits compensatively to insure vuniform drawing ofcorrespondingly larger or smaller fabric loops, and means automaticallycontrolled by pattern mechanism to intermittently rotate the cam.

4. In a flat knitting machine, a series of sinkers, a series of springbeard needles, a needle beard presser bar, a series of knockoverscarried by the presser bar, said knockovers having loop-drawing ledgesoverhanging web holding notches, means for reciproeating the presser barto effect closure of the needle beards incident to loop formation and tore-engage the fabric in the web holding notches of the knock-overs uponformation of each new course of loops, and means for positionallyshifting the needles relative to the sinkers to predetermine measurementof more or less yarn and for concurrently positioning the presser barcompensatively to insure uniform drawing of correspondingly larger orsmaller loops over the loop-drawing ledges of the knock-overs by theneedles.

5. In a flat knitting machine, a series of sinkers, a series of needles,a series of knockovers with loop-drawing ledges overhanging web holdingnotches, means for reciprocating the knock-overs to re-engage the fabricin their web holding notches upon formation of each new course of loops,and a rotary cam instrumental in positionally shifting the needlesrelative to the sinkers to predetermine measurement of more or lessyarn, and for concurrently positioning the knock-overs compensatively toinsure uniform drawing of correspondingly larger or smaller loops overtheir loop-drawing ledges by the needles.

6. In a flat knitting machine, a series of sinkers, a series of needles,a series of knockovers with loop-drawing ledges overhanging web holdingnotches, means for reciprocating the knock-overs to re-engage the fabricin their web holding notches upon formation of each new course of loops,and means for positionally shifting the needles relative to the sinkersto predetermine measurement of more or less yarn, and for concurrentlypositioning the knock-overs compensatively to insure uniform drawing ofcorrespondingly larger or smaller loops over their loop-drawing ledgesby the needles.

7. In a flat knitting machine, a series of needles, a series of sinkersnumbering less than the needles and cooperating with them in measuring adefinite length of yarn for each course of the knitting; individuallyassoci- 5 ated knock-overs cooperating, incident to descent of theneedles, to apportion the yarn premeasured by the sinkers; and means forchanging the operative relation of the sinkers, the needles and theknock-overs, to de- 10 termine measurement of more or less yarn andsubsequent uniform compensative apportionment of such yarn into fabricloops. In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names atLansdale, Pa, this 23d 15 day of December, 1927.

WILHELM BOCK. HOWARD W. MATTHEWS.

